Grilled Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Grilled Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Butter-basted grilled chicken breasts topped with a basil-pine nut pesto folded through with chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 10 minutes
What Is Grilled Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto?
Simply grilled, butter-basted chicken breasts crowned with a rustic pesto of basil, pine nuts, parmesan and garlic, with chopped sun-dried tomatoes folded through.
Why Make Grilled Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto?
- The pesto does all the flavour work
- Sun-dried tomatoes add sweet-tart intensity
- Pesto keeps for days — make extra
- Ten minutes on the grill
- Elegant with zero plating effort
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (boned and skinned (8 oz each))
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves (or 3/4 cup parsley + 2 tbsp dried basil)
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (large)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (ground)
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed, drained and chopped)
- salt (to taste)
- clarified butter (for basting)
Instructions
- Heat the grill.
- Make the pesto: process the pine nuts, basil, parmesan, olive oil, garlic and pepper in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Fold in the sun-dried tomatoes with a wooden spoon and add salt to taste.
- Brush the chicken breasts with clarified butter.
- Grill about 4 inches above the heat until done, about 5 minutes per side, basting with butter as needed.
- Serve each breast with a dollop of the sun-dried tomato pesto.
Cooking Tips
- Fold the tomatoes in by hand so they stay in pieces
- Baste with clarified butter — it won't burn like plain butter
- Don't overprocess the pesto; it should have texture
- Rest the chicken a few minutes before saucing
- Spread leftover pesto on sandwiches or pasta
Frequently Asked Questions About Grilled Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
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1. Can I make the pesto ahead?
Yes — refrigerate up to 4 days under a film of olive oil.
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2. What if I can't find fresh basil?
Use ¾ cup fresh parsley plus 2 tablespoons dried basil.
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3. What is clarified butter?
Butter with the milk solids removed — it bastes at grill heat without burning.
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4. Can I cook the chicken in a pan?
Yes — sear in clarified butter over medium-high, about 5-6 minutes per side.
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5. What else does the pesto suit?
Pasta, grilled fish, sandwiches and roasted vegetables.
Cooking Guides & Tips
- Cooking with Sun-Dried Tomatoes How to use jarred sun-dried tomatoes — in pasta, pesto, antipasti and more — plus how to handle oil-packed vs dry.
Grilled Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Made Simple
Grilled Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto turns a plain breast into something worth talking about. Unico sun-dried tomatoes are the fold-in that makes the pesto.